Harp.



A. B. SMITH.

HARP.

. APPLICATION FILED sums. 191s.

Patented Sept. 4:, 1917.

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ARTHUR B. SMITH, OF ROSSTQN, ARKANSAS.

HARP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

Application filed September 8, 1915. Serial No. 49,629.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR B. SMITH, a citizen of the United Rosston, in the county of Nevada and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a musical -instru-. ment of the harp or Zither type and has for its object to provide an instrument of simple structure which may be played by laying the same upon a flat surface or which may be supported upon the lap of a performer whereby the performer may use his hands at the opposite sides of the springs with which the instrument is provided.

With the above object in view the instrument includes a frame made up of two parallel bars and an upper and lower bar con-- i'iecting the said parallel bars together. All of the bars are of metal and the last mentionedbars are approximately U-shaped in transverse section and support the securing washers and tensioning means for the strings; the side portions of the said bars are perforated at suitable intervals in order to reduce the weight of the frame, without materially weakening the latter.

A further object of the invention is to provide in an instrument having ,a frame as above stated, securing devices for the strings of especial design and tensioning means especially adapted to be used upon the char acter of instrument mentioned;

lVith these and other objects in view, the I invention embodies certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described, and then particularly pointed out in the claims and in the drawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the inven' tion.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the instrument.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the top bar of the instrument.

Fig. i is a similar view of the bar of the instrument.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of one of the devices used on the instrument for tensioning the string.

Corresponding and like parts are referred States, residing, at

"These bars are preferably hollow and The lower ends of the bars 1 and 2 are connected together by the bottom bar a. This bar is disposed at a right angle to the bars 1 and 2 and is approximately U-shaped in transverse section. The lower ends of the bars 1 and 2 are received between the side portions of the bar -l. The bar a is providel in its side portions with openings The bar 4L is provided in its intermediate.

portion vith openings 6. Each opening 6 is provided at one side with a tongue 7. A

bolt 8 is received in each opening 6 and each bolt is provided in its side with a longitudinal groove 9 which receives the tongue 7 of that opening through which the bolt passes. The bolts 8 are free to slide longitudinally through the openings 6 but are restrained against rotary movement therein by means of the groove and tongue connection as stated, which latter movement would tend to twist or distort the strings. The bolts 8 are externally threaded and upon each bolt is screwed a nut 10 provided with. wings 11. The upper faces of the nuts 10 bear directly against the under side of the intermediate portion of the bar l. Consequently when the nuts 10 are turned, the bolts 8 are moved longitudinally through the openings 6. Each upper portion of the bolts 8 and the eyes 12 is housed between the opposite side portions of the bar 1. 1

A bar 13, connects the upper end portions of the bars 1 and 2 together and the bar 13 is disposed at an acute angle with relation to the bar 4. The bar 13 is also approximately U-shaped in transverse section and is provided in its opposite side portions with openings 14. The ends of the intermediate portion of the bar 13 are cut away so that the side portions of the said bar receive the bars 1 and 2 between them. The ends of the intermediate portion of the bar 13 bear directly against the inner sides of the bars 1 and 2 as indicated in Figs. 3 and wherein the said portion is shown in close contact with a bar 2.

The intermediate portion of the bar 13 is provided with openings 15 which correspond in number with the openings 6 in the bar 4. The openings 15 are located vertically above the openings 6. String securing washers 16 are located upon the upper side of the intermediate portion of the bar 13 and are housed between the side portions of the said bar. These washers are hollow and approximately cone-shaped in side elevation and are open at their upper and lower ends. The strings 17 are in practice knotted at their upper ends and are threaded through the securing washers 16. The said strings are then passed down through the openings 15 and are tied or otherwise secured to the eyes 12 of the bolts 8. The nuts 10 are then screwed up along the bolts 8 until the strings 17 are drawn tight and are tuned to the proper pitch. hen this is done the securing washers 16 are held down approximately against the upper surface of the bar 13. After the strings have been tuned as above indicated the instrument is ready for the use of a performer. By providing approximately conical securing washers 16, the said washers may be readily removed from between the side portions of the bar 13 in case the string breaks or should it be desired. to remove a string, for the reason that it is easy to insert the thumb and finger under the upper bar portion of any one of the said washers. Furthermore the conical shape of the said washers renders it easy to thread the strings through the same, for the reason that each string is first inserted in the larger end of its washer and by the aid of the converging inner walls of the washer the end of the string will readily pass through the smaller opening thereof.

An instrument made in accord with the description above given and as shown in the drawing possesses the advantage of having great rigidity and at the. same time is light and can be easily and readily handled. It may be played with the same lying upon a flat surface or a performer may hold the instrument in the lap and strike the strings by using his hands at the opposite sides of the strings. I claim- 1. A musical instrument of the type described comprising a frame composed of Copies of this patent may be obtained for parallel bars, one of which is longer than the other, a connecting bar attached at its ends to. the ends of the said parallel bars and disposed at a right angle to the said parallel bars, a second connecting bar attached at its ends to the end portions of the said parallel bars and disposed at an angle to the first-mentioned connecting bar, said couecting bars having openings which register with each other in lines parallel with the parallel bars, string-securing means consisting of hollow conical washers located upon one of the connecting bars, string tensioning devices located upon the other connectin bar and strings attached to the securing washers and tensioning devices.

2. A musical instrument of the type described comprising parallel bars, connecting bars secured at their ends to the parallel bars, said connecting bars being U-shaped in transverse section, and having openings which register with each other in lines parallel to the parallel bars, strii'igsecuring washers located upon one connecting bar stringtensioning devices applied to the other connecting bar, and strings passing through the openings in the bar carrying the securing washers and connected with the string tensioning devices.

3. A musical instrument of the type described comprising a frame, having opposite bars which are U-shaped in transverse section and which are provided in their side portions with openings, said bars having openings in their intermediate portions, the openings in the intermediate portion of one bar being provided with inwardly disposed tongues, bolts having longitudinally disposed grooves which receive the tongues, nuts screw threaded upon the bolts and hearing against the outer surface of the bar, said bolts having at their ends eyes which are housed between the side portions of the bar to which the bolts are attached, approximately conical hollow string-securing members located between the side portions of the other bar and strings threaded through the said securing members and through the bar upon which the securing members are mounted and connected with the eyes of the bolts.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR B. SMITH.

Witnesses R. D. WEs'rMoRELANn, JOHN H. MCDANIEL.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O." 

